It takes two weeks inside a chrysalis for a butterfly to emerge, but could the same kind of transformation happen for an English football team? Not every side in the English Football League enjoyed a fortnight off during the international break, as League One and League Two clubs continued their campaigns while several players were away with their countries. October still offers a fresh start: close enough to the season's beginning for new managers to make an impact, yet far enough that sides should be finding their footing.
The weekend brings another West Midlands derby as West Bromwich Albion host Birmingham City at The Hawthorns on Saturday lunchtime. Albion sit fifth in the Championship, three points above 10th-placed Birmingham. Albion defender Conor Townsend called their 1-0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers their "worst performance of the season," and now has a chance to prove they can perform in a big match. Last season, the two sides shared the points in both Championship fixtures, with just one goal apiece.
On the South Coast, Southampton meet Portsmouth at St Mary's on Sunday. The teams have drawn four of their past five meetings, and Saints may feel buoyed after boss Tonda Eckert received a six-week suspended ban from the FA for his role in the Spygate controversy. Portsmouth are on a three-match unbeaten run and will be hoping the attention on Eckert's punishment proves a distraction for their opponents.
Elsewhere, Stoke City return to action on Saturday at 15:00 BST, a club that has undergone a period of upheaval. Steven Schumacher was sacked in September after 32 games, and his successor Narcis Pelach lasted just three months before Mark Robins was appointed in January 2025. Schumacher has since led Bolton back into the Championship, and the Trotters are just three points short of the play-off places.
Source: BBC Sport Football · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing